Power of Attorney in Louisiana
State-specific overview · Estate & Probate
Louisiana treats powers of attorney as mandates under civil law, requiring notarization and specific formal language.
How Louisiana treats Power of Attorney
Louisiana's civil law system calls powers of attorney 'mandates' and imposes stricter formality requirements than many states. The document must be notarized and executed with specific legal language to be enforceable. Louisiana distinguishes between general and special mandates, with general mandates requiring explicit authorization for major financial acts like real estate sales.
The general definition of Power of Attorney
A legal document authorizing someone to act on your behalf in financial or medical decisions.
A power of attorney is a document you sign giving another person (called an agent or attorney-in-fact) the authority to make decisions and sign documents for you. You can make it broad (covering all financial matters) or narrow (only for selling a specific property). It takes effect immediately or only if you become incapacitated, depending on what you choose.
Read the full Power of Attorney entry →This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. State laws change frequently. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney in Louisiana.